Hildegard Vom Bingen

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Was Hildegard Von Bingen the first feminist?

-- Jeanie (mary_kissmiss@hotmail.com), December 05, 2003

Answers

I don't know if she would be considered a feminist or not. She was only allowed to write and later teach under the authority of a priest. But the fact that she was allowed to teach could be evidence of her being a feminist. It doesn't really matter though since that term didn't exist until the 1800s, I think.

She is pretty cool though. The Chants that she wrote are incredible, much different from what was being written at the time. She used a larger vocal range that was common.

I am sorry that this doesn't really answer your question. Someone else on the forum might be able to answer it better than I. But here is a brief article on her life.

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07351a.htm

-- Scott (papasquat10@hotmail.com), December 05, 2003.


>Was Hildegard Von Bingen the first feminist?

No Mary was. See: http://www.nationalreview.com/lopez/lopez200312020843.asp

Then again, Ruth may have been...

In Christ, Bill

-- Bill Nelson (bnelson45@hotmail.com), December 05, 2003.


Yeah I really love her chants:) I love all chants, or most chants really. I like the monophonic ones the best. The reason why I ask is because before her, weren't the chants only allowed to be sung by men? I heard the most beautiful version of O Come O Come Emanuel the other day and it had men and women singing it, but that wasn't allowed was it?

-- Jeanie (mary_kissmiss@hotmail.com), December 06, 2003.

Bill, Mary wasn't a feminist. She was faithful to God.

-- Jeanie (mary_kissmiss@hotmail.com), December 06, 2003.

Jeanie said: >Bill, Mary wasn't a feminist. She was faithful to God.

Maybe that is true feminism. From Him we get our strength.

In Christ, Bill

-- Bill Nelson (bnelson45@hotmail.com), December 06, 2003.



Well in my own experience in this matter I would have to agree. It's takes a lot more strength to do what you think is right according to the Word of God then to follow the popular opinion of the day.

-- Jeanie (mary_kissmiss@hotmail.com), December 06, 2003.

Jeanie,

Chants were probably sung by women too, since they also had to chant the psalms every day. Now women might not have written the chants but I am sure they still had to do them. I would have to talk to someone at the IU School of Music to see.

-- Scott (papasquat10@hotmail.com), December 06, 2003.


Scott, There is no doubt she composed chants for her nuns. See: http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/med/hildegarde.html

In Christ, Bill

-- Bill Nelson (bnelson45@hotmail.com), December 06, 2003.


Bill,

I think Jeanie wanted to know if women sang chants before Hildegard wrote hers.

-- Scott (papasquat10@hotmail.com), December 06, 2003.


Oh, hehe... sorry. Yes, women sung chant long before Hildegard wrote hers. Many of the divine offices were and are song.

In Christ, Bill

-- Bill Nelson (bnelson45@hotmail.com), December 07, 2003.



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